In the construction of pipelines, it is necessary to pad the pipe to protect the pipe coating from damage. This is achieved by using any type of material that is softer than the coating of the pipe itself. It is also necessary to chock the pipes to keep it from rolling off the skids or supports. Typically, this chocking is accomplished through the use of additional skids, rocks, skicks and other items. Anything is used that can be found when extra skids are not available. This conventional method is slow and dangerous for field personnel that have to handle such pipes and sections.
Typically, the prior art technique for padding and chocking the pipe is to use carpet, cloth, or rubber in small patches placed between both ends of a single pipe joint and the skids or supports. This method of the prior art has a high degree of physical handling of the skids and pipes. As a result of the large amount of physical handling, there is a great risk of injury to backs, hands, legs, and feet. In certain circumstances, death or debilitating injury has resulted from the handling of such pipe sections.
In the past, various patents have issued which relate to the present invention. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,917,180, issued on Dec. 15, 1959, to G. S. Snyder, describes a rack for cartons in which a panel is provided in which a divider is formed having a receptacle at one end for receiving a rod. The panel is a divider that is suitable for being slidably mounted in slots. The rod is designed so as to prevent complete withdrawal of the divider from the slot.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,503,978, issued on Mar. 12, 1985, to Smit et al., describes a support for cylindrical objects, such as rolled coils. This device employs a supporting member which is made of a resiliently deformable material, such as low density polyethylene. These supporting members are shaped so as to have a hill and valley profile that has a series of upwardly projecting ridges, sloping regions extending downwardly away from each side of the ridge, and substantially horizontal regions between the sloping regions.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,735,320, issued on Apr. 5, 1988, to D. A. Hoss teaches a shipping rack that includes one or more tiers of vertically spaced apart shelves which are fabricated of a pliable stretchable cloth. The vertical distance between each of the pair of vertically adjacent shelves is slightly greater than the thickness of the article of manufacture to be loaded thereon.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,123,547, issued on Jun. 23, 1992, to R. Koch describes equipment for storing and shipping pipes. In particular, this patent describes the use of pipe supports which each include a long, integrated molding having several cylindrical clearances present on two opposite sides, for several pipes. The molding is provided with a central duct extending between and transverse to the bilateral clearances and passing through the molding or the molded segments.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,168,642, issued on Dec. 8, 1992, to Elmer K. Hansen describes a tobacco drying apparatus including first and second substantially parallel support members and at least one friction lock assembly which is attached to the second support member. The friction lock assembly has a gate member which is pivotal about an axis that is substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the second support member. The gate member further has a leading edge which extends toward the first support member.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus that is effective for preventing damage to the coating of pipe sections.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an apparatus that securely locks the pipe sections so as to prevent the pipes from rolling off the skids.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an apparatus that is adaptable and adjustable to various sizes of pipes.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for supporting pipe that is easy to manufacture, easy to use, and relatively inexpensive.
These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a reading of the attached specification and appended claims.